Kiwi mummy blogger Abby Plested has drawn criticism for rehoming her two-year-old dog to make her life less stressful.
Mother-of-two Plested - who is pregnant with her third child - runs the blog Honey We Are More and has over 20,000 followers on Instagram.
She and her husband Daniel are expecting their third child, and Plested says continuing to look after their weimaraner dog Sai was "just not possible for us".
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"I felt like we were not giving Sai the attention he needed," she wrote in a now-deleted blog post. "Every day I would arrive home anxious for what he might have ripped up this time.
"Both myself and Daniel sit down on the regular and see what we need to shift and work on to take out the stress of our lives and to make sure we are doing everything we can to live a filling and excellent life. Sometimes this means removing some stuff from our world.
"I really believe that we are not placed on this earth to collect everything along the way and hold onto everything. Some things are just meant for us to hold onto for a season and then let go of that thing or someone. If we hold onto these things past their time of benefiting our world, we are just adding weight and that's tiring."
She says her husband was upset about rehoming Sai because he thought he had failed and giving her away made him "extremely uncomfortable".
"If I am honest our number one disagreement was over Sai, and that's not okay when something or someone starts to come in between your relationships. Don't wait for it to feel pain-free before you remove it," she wrote.
SPCA chief executive Andrea Midgen said being rehomed or given to a shelter can be disruptive or distressing for animals.
She said owners who were struggling with behaviour issues should seek help from a qualified behaviourist, as many can be managed with appropriate training and care.
"A pet can be a 10-15 year commitment and SPCA would also advise that families consider their lifestyle and how their family environment might change in their pet's lifetime before adopting a pet," Ms Midgen explained.
"For families with children, an older animal might be a good choice as their behaviour is more stable, and their personality is already established.
"With puppies and kittens, it's harder to know their personality or even what size they may be when fully grown."
However Ms Midgen acknowledges sometimes rehoming pets is the only option.
"SPCA does understand that there can be a change in a family's circumstances that may lead to this being the only option for the family and their pet," she said.
The decision to rehome the dog has drawn criticism online.
"It's a dog not a fashion accessory. It has feelings and attachments," said journalist Nikki Macdonald on Twitter.
Ms Plested has been contacted for comment, and this article will be updated with any response.
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